Trash Can Designed for Easy Removal of Trash Bags

ABSTRACT

The present invention is an improved trash can that eliminates the vacuum that can be formed when a trash bag is inserted into a conventional trash can. The improved trash can typically comprises: (1) a trash can; and (2) means for reducing a vacuum created when a trash bag is inserted into the trash can, the means for reducing the vacuum being molded into or attached to the trash can in a vertical orientation. The means for reducing the vacuum can be an angle having holes therein, which can be molded into the trash can, glued into the trash can, or attached to the trash can with conventional mechanical fasteners.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application hereby claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/257,741 by Kipley et al., entitled “Trash Can Designed for Easy Removal of Trash Bags,” and filed on Nov. 3, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein in their entirety by this reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to an improved trash can that allows easy removal of trash bags placed within the trash can.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the collection of trash, it is common for a plastic trash bag to be placed tightly within a trash can, and, then, when the bag is filled with trash or at regular intervals, to be removed from the trash can and disposed of by maintenance workers.

In many cases, when the plastic trash bag is placed securely into the trash can, a vacuum is formed at the bottom of the can that makes the plastic trash bag difficult to remove. In such cases, a force that is greater than expected is required to remove the trash bag from the trash can. This slows removal of the trash bag from the trash can and can cause tearing or rupture of the trash bag, which is likely to result in a spill of the trash in the bag. This must be cleaned up.

Various trash can designs have been proposed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,461,821 to Cheng, incorporated herein by this reference, discloses a flexible trash can frame. U.S. Pat. No. 7,225,943 to Yang et al., incorporated herein by this reference, discloses a trash can assembly with a foot pedal for opening and a liner. U.S. Pat. No. 6,594,876 to Stastny discloses a tie and conduit assembly for modifying an existing trash can to prevent vacuum lock.

However, there is a continuing need for an integral trash can design that prevents vacuum lock of the trash bags inserted therein and does not require time-consuming and extensive modifications to prevent such vacuum lock.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An improved trash can design with a channel incorporated therein meets the need for an integral trash can design that prevents vacuum lock of the trash bags inserted therein.

One embodiment of the present invention is an article of manufacture comprising:

(1) a trash can; and

(2) means for reducing a vacuum created when a trash bag is inserted into the trash can, the means for reducing the vacuum being molded into or attached to the trash can in a vertical orientation.

In one alternative, the trash can is round, and may be elliptical or oval. In another alternative, the trash can is square or rectangular and has four sides, and the means for reducing the vacuum is molded into or attached to one of the sides. The trash can may include rounded corners and slight curvature in the sides to accommodate or facilitate ease of manufacture.

In one alternative, the means for reducing the vacuum is an angle having holes therein. The means for reducing the vacuum can be molded into the trash can, glued into the trash can, or fastened to the trash can with mechanical fasteners. Typically, the angle having holes therein extends from near the top of the trash can to within about 3 inches of the bottom of the trash can. Typically, the angle having holes therein has two sides, each of which is about 1 inch in length. Typically, the holes are in rows of 3 per side and are on centers of about 11/32 of an inch; when the holes are in this arrangement, typically the holes are about ⅛ of an inch to about 5/64 of an inch each in diameter.

The trash can may further include a logo in the form of holes in the trash can.

Typically, the trash can is tapered from the top to the bottom of the can.

The trash can may be formed from metal, plastic, hard rubber, or wood.

The trash can may have a capacity from about 10 gallons to about 55 gallons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a top view of an embodiment of a trash can according to the present invention, the trash can being rectangular in shape.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the trash can of FIG. 1 showing the angle molded into the first side of the trash can.

FIG. 3 is another side view of the trash can of FIG. 1 showing the holes in the angle molded into the trash can.

FIG. 4 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of a trash can according to the present invention bearing a logo in the form of holes punched into the trash can, the side view showing the logo.

FIG. 5 is a top view of an alternative embodiment of a trash can according to the present invention, with the trash can being circular in shape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of the present invention is an article of manufacture that comprises:

(1) a trash can; and

(2) means for reducing a vacuum created when a trash bag is inserted into the trash can, the means for reducing the vacuum being molded into or attached to the trash can in a vertical orientation.

The trash can may be constructed of conventional materials such as metal, plastic, hard rubber, or wood. The trash can may be generally square, rectangular, possibly having rounded corners to accommodate/facilitate ease of manufacture, or round in shape, which includes trash cans that are elliptical or oval, and can have straight or tapering sides. The trash can may have any conventional dimensions and may be, for example, from about 10 gallons to about 55 gallons in capacity.

In one alternative of this embodiment, the trash can includes an angle molded into one side of the can, the angle having holes therein.

This alternative is depicted in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a top view of the trash can 10 of the present invention. The trash can 10 has first, second, third, and fourth sides 12, 14, 16, and 18. In the first side 12 of the trash can 10 is an angle 20 molded into the first side 12. The angle 20 has a first side 22 and a second side 24 meeting at a 90-degree angle, which may vary plus or minus to accommodate/facilitate ease of manufacture. Typically, the first side 22 and the second side 24 of the angle 20 are about 1 inch in length.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the trash can 10 shown in FIG. 1 showing the first side 12 of the trash can 10. As shown in FIG. 2, typically, the angle 20 has a plurality of holes 26 in the first side 22 and the second side 24 of the angle 20. The holes are in rows of 3 per side and are on centers of about 11/32 of an inch. The holes are about ⅛ of an inch to about 5/64 of an inch each in diameter. Typically, the angle 20 extends from near the top of the trash can 10 to within about 3 inches of the bottom of the trash can 10.

FIG. 3 is another side view of the trash can 10 showing the fourth side 18 and showing the holes 26 in the angle 20.

In addition to the angle 20, the trash can 10 can bear a logo 28 in the form of holes in one of the second side 14, third side 16, or fourth side 18 as shown in FIG. 4, a side view of the logo 28. The logo 28 can be in the form of a vertical EZ, or EZ CAN if space permits, with the letters formed by holes on centers of about 11/32 of an inch. The holes are about ⅛ of an inch to about 5/64 of an inch each. The size of each letter is 12 holes in width and 16 holes in depth.

As another alternative, the angle 20 can be glued into the first side 12 of the trash can 10.

As yet another alternative, the angle 20 can be fastened to the first side of the trash can 10 with conventional mechanical fasteners.

FIG. 5 shows a top view of an alternative embodiment of a trash can of the present invention. The trash can 40 is circular in shape with an angle 42 having a first side 44 and a second side 46. The angle 42 has holes (not shown in FIG. 5) as described above.

Tables 1 and 2 show examples of sizes of trash cans according to the present invention.

TABLE 1 Examples of Suitable Sizes for Trash Cans (Round Cans) Upper Dia Lower Dia Height Capacity Bag Size Inches Inches Inches Gallons Gallons 13.0 11.0 21.0 10.3 13.0 13.5 11.5 22.0 11.7 13.0 15.0 13.0 17.0 10.5 13.0 14.0 12.0 26.0 15.0 30.0 14.5 12.8 27.0 17.0 30.0 15.0 13.0 27.0 18.0 30.0 15.0 13.0 36.0 22.0 30.0 18.0 16.0 35.0 32.0 33.0 19.0 17.0 23.0 23.0 30.0 22.0 20.0 26.0 36.0 55.0 24.0 22.0 31.0 48.0 55.0 26.0 24.0 33.0 55.0 55.0

TABLE 2 Examples of Suitable Sizes for Trash Cans (Rectangular Cans) Upper Lower Upper Lower Length Length Width Width Height Capacity Bag Size Inches Inches Inches Inches Inches Gallons Gallons 12.5 10.0 9.5 7.5 15.5 6.4 13.0 13.0 11.0 10.0 8.0 18.0 8.4 13.0 16.0 13.0 12.5 9.0 22.5 15.2 30.0 16.0 13.0 13.0 10.0 25.0 18.0 30.0 16.0 13.0 13.0 10.0 27.0 19.5 30.0 20.0 18.0 11.0 9.0 30.0 24.0 30.0 20.0 18.0 20.0 18.0 33.0 48.0 55.0

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an improved trash can that eliminates the vacuum lock that occurs when trash bags are inserted into conventional trash cans, making it far easier to remove the filled trash bags from the trash can. Trash cans according to the present invention can be used with conventional trash bags and require no additional training or instruction in their use.

Improved trash cans according to the present invention are articles of manufacture that possess industrial applicability.

With respect to ranges of values, the invention encompasses each intervening value between the upper and lower limits of the range to at least a tenth of the lower limit's unit, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. Moreover, the invention encompasses any other stated intervening values and ranges including either or both of the upper and lower limits of the range, unless specifically excluded from the stated range.

Unless defined otherwise, the meanings of all technical and scientific terms used herein are those commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. One of ordinary skill in the art will also appreciate that any methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can also be used to practice or test this invention.

The publications and patents discussed herein are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate such publication by virtue of prior invention. Further the dates of publication provided may be different from the actual publication dates which may need to be independently confirmed.

All the publications cited are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties, including all published patents, patent applications, literature references, as well as those publications that have been incorporated in those published documents. However, to the extent that any publication incorporated herein by reference refers to information to be published, applicants do not admit that any such information published after the filing date of this application to be prior art.

As used in this specification and in the appended claims, the singular forms include the plural forms. For example the terms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Additionally, the term “at least” preceding a series of elements is to be understood as referring to every element in the series. The inventions illustratively described herein can suitably be practiced in the absence of any element or elements, limitation or limitations, not specifically disclosed herein. Thus, for example, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “containing,” etc. shall be read expansively and without limitation. Additionally, the terms and expressions employed herein have been used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the future shown and described or any portion thereof, and it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by preferred embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the inventions herein disclosed can be resorted by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of the inventions disclosed herein. The inventions have been described broadly and generically herein. Each of the narrower species and subgeneric groupings falling within the scope of the generic disclosure also form part of these inventions. This includes the generic description of each invention with a proviso or negative limitation removing any subject matter from the genus, regardless of whether or not the excised materials specifically resided therein. In addition, where features or aspects of an invention are described in terms of the Markush group, those schooled in the art will recognize that the invention is also thereby described in terms of any individual member or subgroup of members of the Markush group. It is also to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments will be apparent to those of in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Those skilled in the art will recognize, or will be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed by the following claims. 

1. An article of manufacture comprising: (a) a trash can; and (b) means for reducing a vacuum created when a trash bag is inserted into the trash can, the means for reducing the vacuum being molded into or attached to the trash can in a vertical orientation.
 2. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is round.
 3. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is oval or elliptical in shape.
 4. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is generally square or rectangular and has four sides and wherein the means for reducing the vacuum is molded into or attached to one of the sides.
 5. The trash can of claim 4 wherein the trash can includes rounded corners and slight curvature in the sides to accommodate/facilitate ease of manufacture.
 6. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the means for reducing the vacuum is an angle having holes therein.
 7. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the angle having holes therein is molded into the trash can.
 8. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the angle having holes therein is glued into the trash can.
 9. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the angle having holes therein is fastened to the trash can with mechanical fasteners.
 10. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the angle having holes therein extends from near the top of the trash can to within about 3 inches of the bottom of the trash can.
 11. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the angle having holes therein has two sides, each of which is about 1 inch in length.
 12. The article of manufacture of claim 6 wherein the holes are in rows of 3 per side and are on centers of about 11/32 of an inch.
 13. The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein the holes are about ⅛ of an inch to about 5/64 of an inch each in diameter.
 14. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can further includes a logo in the form of holes in the trash can.
 15. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is tapered from the top to the bottom of the can.
 16. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is formed from metal.
 17. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is formed from plastic.
 18. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is formed from hard rubber.
 19. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can is formed from wood.
 20. The article of manufacture of claim 1 wherein the trash can has a capacity of from about 10 gallons to about 55 gallons. 